Tuesday, 27 September 2016

Solar Energy- It's Pros & Cons.

As the name
suggests, Solar energy is the energy from the sun. Solar panels use sunlight to
produce electricity. These panels are generally mounted on the roof and angled
to face the sun. Countries all around the globe are using solar energy to reduce their dependence
on fossil fuels and making it as a sizable share of their energy supply. Solar PV
systems are being used in large numbers by roof owners to reduce their monthly
electricity bills due toless need of
electricity from utility companies and this results in extra savings to them.

Solar energy has now
become an incredibly important part of the world that we live in. However,
there are a lot of things that we need to consider if we are going to include
solar energy as part of our life.

In this article,
we’re going to take a closer look at solar energy and its
pros and cons so that one can make an intelligent & informed
decision about whether or not this is the right choice for him and his family
to consider when switching your energy resources.

Solar Energy- It’s Pros.

1. Clean Energy
Source: First & foremost is that “Solar systems do not pollute” ; the only pollution that
occurs is during manufacture of solar
panels & its other accessories in industrial facilities & the
transportation of the system components.. That means, once solar roof top
system is actually installed on your
home, it is doing absolutely nothing negative to the atmosphere; & this is
a huge difference from other forms of standard energy.

2. Renewable and
Sustainable: Solar energy is a RENEWABLE source of energy which means we will
not run out of it. Unlike fossil fuels, which will expire in another few
decades, solar energy is never going to expire. We will continue to get solar
energy as long as sun is there. Apart from being
renewable, solar energy is sustainable. Sustainable simply means to be able to
meet the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future
generations. Sun is going to last for another 6.5 billion years,( according to
NASA) and there is no way that we could over consume it!

3. Power Remote
Areas: One of the most incredible benefits of solar energy is its
capability to bridge in the power gap in remote areas that are not connected to a
national electrical grid. The
establishment of solar panels in remote areas is substantially more financially
viable than laying the high voltage wires that are necessary to provide these
areas with electricity. Solar energy is & can be extremely productive in an remote regions
of the globe.

4. Can be Installed
on Rooftops: Solar panels can be installed on any number of roofs, which
wipes out the issue of trying to find enough space for solar panel arrangement.
Since most of the roofs either on residences or on any factory or commercial
buildings are not being used, installing Solar panels on them not only save you
space, but it can also end up saving you a lot of money as well. Even though
the initial cost of solar systems can be high, depending on how large they are
and other factors (we will talk more about this in the “cons”), they give us a
free supply of power, which means that they will eventually pay for themselves
in the long run.

5. Reduce
Electricity Bills: The utilization of solar energy to create power allows you and
your family to be free of the limitations of fossil fuels that could negatively affect the
power that your home is able to use on a regular basis. Moreover, homeowners
can sell surplus electricity generated to utility companies to reduce their
monthly electricity bill.

6. Availability: Sunlight is available throughout the
world and can easily be harnessed by every body. The only drawback is that it can only be
used during daytime. It is estimated that the world’s oil reserves will last
for about 50-60 years, whereas sunlight is available forever and can be
utilized till the end of this planet.

7. Low Maintenance: Modern solar PV systems require less
maintenance as they don’t involve any moving parts and typically last for about 25 years. They require few
meters of space for residential use and require cleaning a few times a month.

8. Silent: The creation of energy from the use
of fossil fuels and other renewable energy sources (e.g. wind turbines) cant be
incredibly noisy, but solar energy produces power quietly. This way, you won’t
have to worry about adding noise pollution to the area that you live in either,
which will make it that much more pleasant for your family and those who live
around you. They operate silently and are therefore favored by many people.

Cons of Solar Energy

1. Initial Cost: The most significant con of solar
energy is how much it costs to install the solar panels on your home.
Presently, costs of the best quality solar systems might be above Rs 75,000/-
per KW, and a most families may require more than 1 KW. An average family requirement would bearound 5-7 KW. This makes the starting cost
of solar systems expensive.

2. Produce Power
During Day: Solar energy is only capable of producing power during the
daytime (when the sun is out). This implies that, for around half of the day,
solar panels are not delivering energy for your home. The climate and weather
patterns of your area can influence how well your solar panels work as well.

3. Solar Panels
Effectiveness: If there is already air pollution in your area, it could cause some
problems for you. Pollution levels can influence solar panel’s effectiveness; this would be
a significant con for organizations or industries that are looking to introduce
solar panels in high pollution zones .

4. Large Area for
Setup:

If you own a business that wants to use solar energy, another
issue whichmay come up is the large area required for
higher capacity plants. You may not be able to fit them on the roof of your
building, and you may need to have a large area of land to to set your panels
in so that the right amount of power can be produced.

5. Expensive
Storage: Solar power is also utilized to charge batteries for the home
or business, so that during the evening and night hours you will still have access to power.
These batteries are heavy and large and expensive. You’ll need to find
somewhere to store them, and you will have to replace them occasionally, which
can add to the cost.